Global standardization is a strategy with different parameters around the world to justify each country’s policy guidelines for enforcing the manufacture of toys with or without hazardous chemicals. Cultures and standards of countries all vary from border to border regarding their environmental conditions. Not all environments around the world are in comparison to the United States leaving many manufacturers behind in the operating conditions of their country. A world standard for toys and their use by children to be standardized is a task that I believe is impossible.
What you’re asking is for all countries, MNC, and cultures to be alike, which is impossible. All country’s living environments and cultures are different in various ways that separate all nations. MNCs, governments, and cultures across the world must unite to create a standardization of toys and their use by children. This task is too unrealistic to expect the world to follow all the same guidelines, ethical decision-making, organizational culture, and leadership to create standardization for toys.
Regardless of the task seems unrealistic or not there needs to be reform and standardization in the toy industry. Stakeholders, governments, industry leaders, and policymakers need to head the movement of innovation from the inside out to create better standards.
The U.S. should ban all products that don’t follow standards that relate to the health and safety concerns of the U.S. The CPSC is not being overprotective because the facts of lead poisoning are enough to justify their reasoning.
High levels of lead interfere with the development of a child’s nervous system. Lead can cause cognitive losses, learning disabilities, behavioral problems, delayed growth, and seizures (Walls, 2007). If, the U.S. is going to accept products from other countries then at least follow our standards regarding health and safety concerns or we shouldn’t do business. The CPSC will ban toys that could expose children to lead. For example, antique or imported toys from China can fall under this ban which can be found on www.cdc.gov. website. Lead contamination in toys is usually found in the paint which kids will then chew and ingest as they flake off. Business leaders get so concerned with profits that they forget their responsibility to society which is important to maintain a product’s image to help maximize profits in the long run. There should be one guideline that all countries and governments should follow. Comwhether panies that export products need to be held reliable and to a higher standard when exporting their goods around the world. It should be very clear cut if you think about it; products that harm shouldn’t be produced. That is a guideline that all companies should follow because no MNC should put profits at the expense of people’s health and safety.
Lead poisonous chemicals shouldn’t be involved in the manufacture of products much less drinking water. The lead shouldn’t be in drinking water and the U.S. needs to address all issues related to lead poisoning concerns. “In 2015, Dr. Marc Edwards, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Virginia Tech found that 40% of the water samples contained lead levels greater than 5 parts per billion (ppb) and that the 90th percentile of homes tested was above 25 (ppb), with a great many homes exceeding 100(ppb)” (Markel, 2016 pg.231). The acceptable max lead allowed for clean drinking water is 15ppb which many homes in Flint Michigan were well above the contamination limit for drinkable water. If we are going to point the blame at the manufacturing use of lead paint then we need to consider all aspects of lead poisoning concerns in the U.S. The Environmental Protection Agency has estimated that an invested amount of over 300 billion will be needed by 2030 to have all Americans access to clean drinking water. Lead contamination in water is another point that links to manufacturing toys. Many underdeveloped countries have less desirable living conditions with unsatisfactory water conditions containing lead that is used or near toy manufacturing plants. How can we address toy industry standards without dealing with environmental issues around the world? To create global standards in the toy industry we must raise our level of concern for the world’s drinking water in response.
Lead is a cost issue for manufacturers because the cost of paint with lead is far cheaper than without. Most paints have either high or low levels of lead contamination which means that all companies have been aware of this issue for years. MNCs have decided to ignore the problem by only addressing the issue as needed due to cost-related issues related to eliminating lead-based paints for toy manufacturing. Stakeholders in the toy industry have known about these issues for years and haven’t proactively addressed the problem, because it will cost the industry billions to meet standards. Stakeholders have decided to focus on profits instead of environmental issues that affect the society around the world. This is an ongoing problem as MNCs battle themselves on the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) vs. outstanding profit. Companies can use CSR to build a positive image with consumers as a product-harm crisis strategy to maintain customers and gain their trust. When issues arise as lead contamination in water or toy manufacturing it allows the process to cure faster when you have established a positive reputation with the people. There needs to be a balance between what is acceptable in the toy industry related to lead contamination and profitability. When will the stakeholders of the toy industry start to find solutions to these problems?
Global Toys. (2022, May 29). Retrieved from http://envrexperts.com/free-essays/essay-about-global-toys